Earthworking machine



March 27, 1956 w. G. FRENZEL 2,739,396

EARTHWORKING MACHINE Filed June 26, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet l March 27, 1956 EARTHWORKING MA Filed June 26, 1951 In; J.

W. G. FRENZEL CHINE Wi'lb 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 a I I I I 1 h i IIH lli

70 ID at Qfienzel March 27, 1956 w. G. FRENZEL 2,739,395

EARTHWORKING MACHINE Filed June 26, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet d I8 22 22 LP 23 4 l O H O 25 59 59 25 27 28 2| 28 IO 10 I FIQ, 6. mlbur Q, Fr @1129! ado 1114 ilnited States Patent EAR'IHWORKING MACHINE Wilbur G. Frenzel, Nome, Tex.

Application June 26, 1951, Serial No. 233,609

1 Claim. (Cl. 37-166) This invention relates generally to the class of earth working and is directed particularly to an improved machine for working earth into an elevated strip for the formation of a levee or similar construction.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide an earth grader or levee grader, designed to be drawn by a tractor or other power vehicle, by means of which earth will be dug up along a predetermined path, from opposite sides or borders of such path and heaped up or elevated into a hill, to a desired height.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the character stated, comprising a pair of rearwardly convergent earth working blades, with hydraulically operated means for raising and lowering the advancing or divergent ends of the blades and also the trailing ends thereof, independently, whereby the blades may be made to dig into the earth to a desired extent, within the limits of the height of the blades, and by properly elevating the rear convergent or trailing ends of the blades, the earth dug up by the advancing ends will be worked to the center of the pathway and piled or heaped in a hill whereby to form or grade a desired levee structure.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a levee grader or constructing machine having a pair of earth working and earth shaping blades, wherein a ground engaging wheel structure carries the rear ends of the blades while the forward ends are supported by the draft tongue in association with a hydraulic unit coupled between the draft tongue and a transverse yoke, the draft tongue being connected by transversely extending pivots with the advancing ends of the blades whereby by the operation of the hydraulic unit the advancing ends of the blades may be raised or lowered as desired.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the above described character wherein a second hydraulic unit is operatively coupled with the rear end supporting wheels of the machine through the medium of an arched axle structure, whereby by the operation of the hydraulic unit connected with such axle structure the rear ends of the blades may be raised or lowered as desired.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description of the same proceeds and the invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification, with the understanding, how ever, that the invention is not to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described since obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a view in top plan of a machine constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation of the same.

Figure 3 is a central longitudinal section taken sub stantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 1 showing the parts on an enlarged scale.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a detailed section taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a transverse section taken substantially on the line 6-6 of Figure 1, the parts being on an enlarged scale.

Figure 7 is a transverse section taken substantially on the line 7-7 of Figure l, the parts being on an enlarged scale.

Figure 8 is a detailed section, on an enlarged scale, taken substantially on the line 8-8 of Figure 2.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings it will be seen that the present levee grader machine comprises two long earth digging and earth shaping blades which are designated 10. Each of these blades in addition to being of a substantial length, is also of substantial width and the blades are arranged in a rearwardly converging relation with the width of the blades vertically or substantially so, the rear convergent ends of the blades being spaced apart for the purpose which will become evident upon the further description of the machines construction and its operation.

The divergent ends of the blades it constitute the forward end of the machine and as shown these blades at their divergent ends are connected together by the transversely extending arched yoke which is generally designated 12 and which comprises a straight middle portion 14 and the downwardly and outwardly inclined side portions 16. These side portions extend across the tops of the blades 16 and are welded or otherwise suitably secured thereto whereby the blades are rigidly maintained in separated or spaced relation.

At the rear end of the machine is a rear yoke which connects the convergent ends of the blades and which is generally designated 18. This yoke comprises a heavy transverse beam 20 which is disposed a substantial distance above the top edges of the blades 10 and, the upright end standards 21 which extend downwardly across the outer sides of the beams and are rigidly secured thereto whereby the rear yoke is maintained in upright position and the rear ends of the blades are rigidly coupled together.

The horizontal rear beam 20 of the rear yoke carries at each end and on the forward side thereof, an axle bearing 22 and extending transversely of the machine and passing through the bearings 22 for turning movement therein, is a shaft 23 which forms a horizontal portion of the arched wheel axle structure which is generally designated 24%. The arched axle structure 24 includes in addition to the horizontal shaft 23, the vertical legs 25 which extend downwardly each from one end of the shaft 23, upon the outer side of the adjacent blade iii and at the lower end of each leg is a short laterally extending stub axle 26 upon which is rotatably mounted the ground engaging wheel 2'7. It will be readily seen that by oscillating the shaft 23 or by turning the entire arched axle 2d in the bearings 22 the rear ends of the blades 19 will be raised or lowered. When the axle legs 25 are in vertical position, at which time the rear ends of the blades are at the maximum elevation, they are stopped from swinging further forwardly by a stop lug 28 which is secured to the top of the adjacent blade and extends outwardly in the path of swinging movement of the adjacent leg as illustrated in Figure 5.

Extending lengthwise of the machine on the longitudinal center thereof and across the tops of the blade connecting yokes 12 and 18 is the body frame unit 29 which comprises two channel beams 30 arranged in spaced parallel relation with their flanges outwardly directed and resting upon the portion 14 of the front yoke 12 and the beam 20 of the rear yoke 18, to which they are welded 3 or otherwise suitably secured at 31. The forward ends of-the-two-channel members-30 extend a short distance forwardly of the front yoke 12 and at their forward ends they are connected by a transverse pivot pin 32 on which is oscillatably mounted for verticalswinging movement,

an end of a piston cylinder 33 forming one element ofthe front-end hydraulic power unit which is generally designated34 and which includes as the second part thereof the piston actuated rod 35' which extends forwardly from the cylinder 33 for the purpose hereinafter set forth. While no piston has been illustrated it will be understood that the rod 35 carries a piston which slides in the cylinder 53 and'the upper and lower ends of the cylinder have connected therein the fluid couplings 3d and 37 respectively with which are connected the flexible hydraulic fluid conducting, tubes 38 and 39.

The numeral 49 designates the draft tongue for the machine which is connected at its rear end to the center ofthe tongue yoke 41. Forwardly of the yoke 41 the tongue ltlhas connected with opposite sides thereof the laterally extending brace arms 42 which at their outer ends are joined to the outer ends of the yoke 41 as indicated at 43 and these joined ends have secured thereto the laterally extending pivot pins 44 which pass through and are rotatable in pivot or bearing plates 45 which are secured to the forward ends of the blades 10. Thus it will be seen that the draft tongue may be swung vertically about the axes of the aligned bearing pins 44.

On the top of the draft tongue 4%, forwardly of the connection thereof with the yoke 41, are welded a pair of spaced upstanding pivot ears 46 between which is pivotally secured as at 47, the outer or forward end of the piston rod35. With this arrangement it will be readily seen that when the draft tongue is secured to a draft vehicle, whereby the secured or forward end of the tongue is held so that it cannot be raised or lowered, the introduction of fluid into the back endof the cylinder 33 will tend to force the piston rod 35 forwardly or outwardly and since the forward end of the draft tongue is fixed against downward movement, the thrust will force the cylinder upward and rearward and act to elevate the frame unit 29 for pivotal movement about the wheels 27, whereby the advancing ends of the blades will be forced upward and away from the ground.

By reversing the fluid flow the opposite action will take place in that the backwardly moving piston would cause the cylinder and the forward end of the frame unit 29 to lower and thus lower the forward ends of the blades. 7

Rearwardly of the pivot 32, the channel members 3i) of the beam frame 29'have supported therebetween the transverse pivot 48 on which is mounted for vertical swinging movement, the forward end of the piston cylinder 49 forming one element of the rearward hydraulic power unit which is generally designated 50.

Extending from the other or rear end of the cylinder 49 is the piston rod 51 which has its other end pivotally connected as at 52, with the upper end of a lever arm 53, the lower end of which is rigidly secured to the arched axle shaft 23 and is disposed between the channel members 36 by which it is guided in its swinging movement when the piston rod 51 is forced backwardly to swing the arched axle in a direction to elevate the rear blades of the machine. For the introduction of the necessary hydraulic power fluid into the forward end of the cylinder 49, the cylinder is provided with a fitting 54 with which is connected the fluid tube 55.

The several tubes 38, 39 and 55 are carried forwardly and are connected with a suitable hydraulic power unit and control valve mechanism, not shown, and in order to prevent entanglement of the tubes or fluid lines with objects on the ground or the forward part of the machine, thelines are carried through a guide ring 56 which is supported upon the upper endof a vertical standard 57 which is rigidly. secured to the draft tongue 40.

At the forward ends of the blades 10, each blade is provided with= along plow or shoveldtrwhich is securedto' the inner face of the blade and extends downwardly and inwardly and also has a substantial length extending from the front end of the blade rearwardly.

At the rear end of each blade there is secured a long upwardly and inwardly inclined or angled earth molding flange or plate 59. These flanges are also of substantial length and extend from'the rear ends of the blades forwardly thereof.

In the opeiatitm of the presentmachine the forward end of the rigid draft tongue 40 is coupled to a suitable draft vehicle such as a tractor or the like and accordingly it is maintained that a substantialelevation above the ground and such forward end of the tongue is so held so that it cannot be raised or lowered. Since the rear end of the tongue is pivotally coupled by the pivots 44 with the front ends of the blades 10 it will be readily seen that any downward or upward thrust applied to the rear end of the draft tongue will cause the rear end to be depressed and will lower the forward ends or raise the forward ends of the blades 10. It will be understood, of course, that. the coupling between the fonvard endofthe tongue and the tractor will be sufliciently loose or free to permitthe up and down movement of the rear end of the tongue. 7

With the power units connected to the suitable fluid power source, if it is desired to dig deeply into the ground by the shovels or plows 53 at the forward ends of the blades it the necessary fluid is introduced through thetube 38- into the front of the cylinder 33 so as to forcethe piston rod rearwardly or inwardly and thus downward" thrust Willbeapplied to-the rear-end of the draft tongue which will causethe leading ends of the blades 10 to belowered against or into the ground. Elevation of the forward ends of the blades is effected by releasing pressure from the'tube 39 and introducing pressure into the cylinder 33 'by' means of the tube 38.

If the rear endsof the convergent blades 10 are to be elevated fluid pressureis-introduced into the rear end'of the cylinder 49 through the tube 55 and force the piston rod 5-11outwardlyand rearwardly, this will cause the turn ing or oscillation of the arched axle so as to swing the axle legs 25 to' a vertical position. Thus with the forward ends of theblades digging into the earth and the rear endselevated as shown the earthwill be heaped up in a long hill and to the maximum height which the machine is able to produce and the sides willbe smoothed off by the inwardly directed mold flanges 59. If a lower hillof earth is desiredthe fluid can be allowed to flow out of; the cylinder 49 and the forward movement of the machine will tend:to swing the axle legs 25 rearwardly so as. to

'lower the convergent rear ends of the blades.

From the foregoing it will be readily apparent that there has been provided by the presentinventiona relatively simple earth moving and shaping machine which has the following features of novelty.

It moves the soil from two directions simultaneously.

One simple hydraulic control regulates the excavation of'each side, of the intended levy.

One simple hydraulic control regulates the height of the levy.

Lateral movement of dirt or soil is held at a minimum.

By moving the soil in two directions simultaneously, virtually all lateral stress on the supporting wheels-is avoided.

It will also be seen that the machine is easily attached to and used with regular types of tractor equipment such as are commonly employed on road building jobs, on farms or other places where earth working jobs are carried" out.

I claim;

earth; workin machinea comprising a pair of long convergently related blades, a rigid archedyokerigidly connecting together the divergent ends thereof, a rigid upstanding yoke disposed across and rigidly connecting the convergent end of the blades, a longitudinal body beam rigidly coupling said yokes, a pair of bearings carried by the upstanding yoke and spaced apart transversely 5 of the machine, an arched axle straddling said convergent ends and rotatably supported by said bearings, said axle having depending stub axle carrying end legs, a wheel carried on each stub axle, a draft tongue, a yoke secured across an end of the tongue and lying across the machine between the divergent ends of the blades, the draft tongue yoke having outer ends pivoted to the blades for the vertical swinging of the tongue on an axis extending across the machine, a power unit connected between the body beam and the draft tongue for applying pushing or pulling power to the tongue, and a power unit carried by the body beam and havinga crank coupling with the arched axle for applying turning power to the axle.

References Cited in the'file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,399,382 Green Dec. 6, 1921 1,514,039 Dreger .d Nov. 4, 1924 1,522,331 Schaeffer Jan. 6, 1925 1,557,035 Dost Oct. 13, 1925 1,653,678 Strandlund Dec. 27, 1927 1,756,329 Andrew Apr. 29, 1930 1,759,982 Hauser May 27, 1930 1,833,878 Adams Nov. 24, 1931 1,858,634 Maloon May 17, 1932 2,311,551 Laird Feb. 16, 1943 

